Former Hall & Oates singer/guitarist John Oates has announced plans for a new solo album titled, simply, OATES. The 13-track collection, which is made up mostly of original tunes, will be released on August 29.
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OATES finds the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer focusing more on R&B, soul, and pop influences after releasing several Americana-flavored recordings in recent years.
[RELATED: Daryl Hall Issues Blunt Response to a Hall & Oates Reunion with John Oates]
In advance of the album, Oates has released a song called “Enough Is Enough” as the lead single. The track is a collaboration with the New York City-based pop/soul group Lawrence. John was inspired to write the grooving, upbeat tune after hearing Lawrence’s music, and he decided to ask the group to guest on the track.
“Enough Is Enough” is available now via streaming services. In addition, a visualizer music video for the song has debuted at Oates’ official YouTube channel.
More About the OATES Album
OATES also features contributions from Nashville-based soul singer/songwriter Devon Gilfillian, who co-wrote two songs on the album. One of those tracks, “Mending,” is a duet between Oates and Devon Gilfillian that was initially released as a digital single in September 2024.
The album also features a few tunes that first were released as singles in 2023. They were “Pushin’ a Rock,” “Disconnected,” and “Get Your Smile On.”
Oates also explored some Latin music influences on a couple of the songs. “Dreaming of Brazil” is a tune inspired by his love of bossa nova and Antonio Carlos Jobim. It features Wendy Moten on guest vocals. “Bajo la Luz de la Luna” is a song John composed for the feature film Gringa, which is set in Mexico.
Rounding out the album are two versions of Marc Cohn’s 1991 hit “Walking in Memphis.” A remix of Oates’ cover of the song, created by electronic-music producer Grabbitz, appears at the end of OATES as a bonus track.
Oates’ Upcoming Performance Plans
Oates has put together a new band to play shows in support of the new album. John currently has 11 concerts on his 2025 tour schedule. They span from a June 20 performance in Banner Elk, North Carolina, through am August 27 show at the historic Troubadour club in West Hollywood, California.
Oates’ itinerary includes a July 4 gig at Summerfest 2025 in Milwaukee. Check out his full schedule at JohnOates.com.
OATES Track List:
- “Enough Is Enough” (featuring Lawrence)
- “Real Thing Going On”
- “Mending” (featuring Devon Gilfillian)
- “A Ways Away”
- “Let Me Be the One”
- “World Gone Wrong”
- “Pushin’ a Rock”
- “Disconnected”
- “Get Your Smile On”
- “Dreaming About Brazil”
- “Bajo la Luz de la Luna”
- “Walking in Memphis”
- “Walking in Memphis” (Grabbitz Remix)
(Photo by Jason Lee Denton)
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